Marital status, next to genetics, has the strongest effect on hair loss among women, according to two American studies quoted by media reports Monday.

The loss of a spouse, through either divorce or death, raises the risk of hair loss to women, according to Dr. Bahman Guyuron, who presented the studies at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ annual meeting in Denvor.

Guyuron said the stress taken by women during a divorce appears to cause their hair loss.

In one of the studies, Guyuron focused on the lifestyle of 84 female identical twins, tested their hormone blood level, and analysed photos of their hair.

He found women suffering from spouse loss have relatively high risk of thinning hair.

In addition, excessively drinking and smoking also appears to increase the risk of hair loss among women.

Guyuron said women who drink coffee, use sun protection and are happily married face a lower risk of hair loss than those not.

Patients of hair loss can get treatment through medicines or surgery, but they “also need to try and control what they can control in terms of the way they approach stress and handle situations,” said Dr. Doris Day, an physician in dermatology who attended the meeting.